Premier League duo Liverpool and Arsenal reportedly want to sign Samu Chukwueze from La Liga outfit Villarreal.
Liverpool and Arsenal target Samu Chukwueze has been given the backing of World Cup winning centre-back Raul Albiol, with the fellow Villarreal star raving about his jet-heeled team-mate in an interview with SuperSport.
A 56-time Spain international who conquered the world a decade ago, Albiol is well placed to pass judgement on one of the world’s most exciting young forwards.
The 34-year-old has shared a dressing room with the likes of David Villa, Gonzalo Higuain, Cristiano Ronaldo and co but even a man who has seen it all during a long career at the top level is enthralled by the prospect of Chukwueze fulfilling his undoubted potential.
“He’s a very good player, very fast and very good in one-against-one situations, a good dribbler,” said Albiol, the former Real Madrid, Napoli and Valencia stopper.
“He’s very quiet, he doesn’t speak a lot, but he’s always happy. So we are training him to become professional and a better player, but also to become a better person, a more open person who can have a better relationship with his colleagues.”
France Football reports that Liverpool have identified a 20-year-old Nigeria international as another rough diamond capable of following in the footsteps of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and co at Anfield. The Merseyside giants failed with a £30 million January bid for a man valued closer as £55 million.
And thanks to Chukwueze’s Villarreal team-mate, the former Arsenal playmaker Santi Cazorla (Marca), we know now that the Gunners are interested in belatedly landing a player they could, and certainly should, have snapped up for just £4 million three years ago.
If Albiol is right, Chukwueze could be worth every penny of that staggering transfer fee.
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